10 Side Effects of Red Bull That You Need To Know!

Red Bull is a sugar-sweetened and caffeinated energy drink. When consumed excessively, it can affect your body negatively.

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It is crucial to consume Red Bull in wise moderation. Red Bull provides a boost of energy and alertness, but it will also cause short and long-term side effects, especially when consumed in large amounts over a long time or consumed with alcohol.

For your information, one small can of Red Bull (260ml) contains:

• Calories: 112

• Protein: 1.2 grams

• Fat: 0 grams

• Carbs: 27 grams

• Sugar: 27 grams

• Caffeine: 75 mg

Let’s take a look at the side effects of Red Bull:

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Jitters

Jitters happen when high levels of caffeine in Red Bull cause you to experience a sudden rush of intense energy that can make you feel a bit shaky. The recommended maximum limit for caffeine intake per day for adults is 400mg. Thus, drinking 5 Red Bull cans a day will increase your risk of a caffeine overdose.

Migraine

When your body is so used to taking a certain amount of caffeine, withdrawing from it will give you a headache. Thus, regular red bull drinkers will likely get frequent migraines due to their dependence on caffeine.

Insomnia

Too much caffeine intake will cause difficulty in falling asleep and staying asleep.

Weight gain

Red Bull contains a lot of sugar. Sugary drinks contain a large number of calories, and thus this will cause weight gain and obesity.

Excess sugar

Since Red Bull is high in sugar to support its energy-boosting effects, it may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes when taken in excess.

Damage your teeth

Red Bull is acidic. Hence, consuming it too often will cause damage to your tooth enamel. Some studies even have stated that energy drinks are more harmful to your teeth than soft drinks.

High-risk behaviour

This side effect is more likely to happen when drinking Red Bull combined with alcohol. When taken together, the caffeine in Red Bull can mask the effects of alcohol, making you feel less intoxicated while still undergoing alcohol-related consequences.

Withdrawal symptoms

As you consume Red Bull more and more, this can lead to withdrawal symptoms when you don’t get your caffeine intake for the day. The withdrawal symptoms will cause headaches or even feeling nervous or shaky when you don’t regularly consume it.

Interrupts neural communication

Consuming uncontrolled amounts of glucose in the form of refined sugars will disrupt neural communication. It may not just affect your memory but also other cognitive functions like attention span.

Increased heart rate and blood pressure

Studies have found that drinking a can of Red Bull (about 355 ml) can raise your heart rate and blood pressure within an hour of consumption. These effects may last for several hours as your body processes the caffeine and other stimulants in the drink. Researchers suggest that the combination of caffeine and taurine can temporarily make your heart work harder, even in healthy adults.

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Moderate and occasional intake of Red Bull is unlikely to cause serious heart problems in healthy adults. Still, excess consumption of Red Bull, particularly in younger people, has been linked to abnormal heart rhythm, heart attack, and even death.

If you have high blood pressure or any pre-existing heart conditions, you should avoid drinking energy drinks.